Back to EveryPatent.com
United States Patent |
5,112,352
|
Novack
|
May 12, 1992
|
Pectoral implant and method for implanting the same
Abstract
A pectoral implant is disclosed of a soft silicone material that is
contoured to the chest of a male. The implant is split partway
therethrough so that it can be folded and inserted into a small slit under
the armpit of a male and moved into the chest area to simulate the
built-up chest appearance of the male.
Inventors:
|
Novack; Brian (2131 Century Park La., #201, Los Angeles, CA 90067)
|
Appl. No.:
|
732056 |
Filed:
|
July 18, 1991 |
Current U.S. Class: |
623/8 |
Intern'l Class: |
A61F 002/12 |
Field of Search: |
623/7,8
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
3460975 | Aug., 1969 | Stebleton | 623/11.
|
3986213 | Oct., 1976 | Lynch | 623/8.
|
4095295 | Jun., 1978 | Lake | 623/8.
|
4597763 | Jul., 1986 | Schweikhart | 623/8.
|
4713073 | Dec., 1987 | Reinmuller | 623/8.
|
4756862 | Jul., 1988 | Spector | 623/11.
|
4790849 | Dec., 1988 | Terino | 623/11.
|
4969901 | Nov., 1990 | Binder | 623/11.
|
Other References
Muscle & Fitness, Dec. 1986, Cover, pp. 94-98.
|
Primary Examiner: Shay; Randy C.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Poms, Smith, Lande & Rose
Claims
I claim:
1. A male chest implant comprising:
a unitary body of implant material having a slightly concave cross-section
and being divided into a first section and a second section, each section
having an inside edge and an outside edge, the inside edges of the first
and second sections being adjacent one another with the first and second
sections being attached to one another only at one end of the respective
inside edge of each section.
2. In the implant of claim 1 wherein the overall shape of the implant is
substantially rectangular and the inside edges of the first and second
sections lie along a line substantially perpendicular to a back wall of
the implant.
3. In the implant of claim 2, each section having a front wall spaced from
the back wall, said front walls each being curved and intersection with
respective ones of said inside edges.
4. In the implant of claim 1 wherein said inside edges of said first and
second sections are generally S-shaped.
5. In the implant of claim 1 wherein said piece is about 15 cms. wide by 17
cms. long by 2 cms. thick.
6. In the implant of claim 1 wherein said implant is of a soft silicone
material.
7. A method for implanting a pectoral implant in the chest of a male
comprising the steps of:
providing a piece of soft silicone material having a first section
separated from a second section by a cutting line extending partway
through said piece;
making a small incision in the arm pit of said male;
folding said first section of said piece of material about itself along an
axis generally parallel to said cutting line;
inserting a first end of said folded first section through said incision;
moving said implant into said male until said second section is adjacent
said incision;
folding said second section of said piece of material about itself along an
axis generally parallel to said cutting line;
moving said second section through said incision until said entire piece of
material is through said incision and within the body of said male;
moving said implant into the chest of said male between the pectoralis
major muscle and the pectoralis minor muscle; and
subsequently fanning out said piece of material within said chest to
simulate the natural contours of a male chest.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to body implants; and, more particularly, pectoral
implants for men.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Breast implants for women have been known for many years. Such implants are
generally made of a medical grade of silicon elastomer material. If a man
wanted to build up his chest, he had to engage in strenuous exercises over
a long period of time. It has been suggested that pectoral implants can be
made to the chest of a male to build up various parts of the human body.
One such article on chest and calf implants appeared in the Dec. 9, 1990
issue of the Los Angeles Times, magazine section, page 46. In this
article, the insertion of six inch long tapered pieces of silicone into a
slit in the armpit of a man is disclosed. The man's own tissue
encapsulates the implants and holds them in place.
The article goes on to say that bodybuilders have used this technique to
simulate a built-up body. Such chest implants can be used to build up
one's chest where exercising is difficult or impossible. The applicant
herein is discussed in the aforementioned article as providing one such
individual with chest implants.
No prior art patent is known relating to chest implants and the method of
implanting the same. In the implants discussed in the aforementioned
article, three separate and independent pieces of implant material must be
surgically installed and then "fanned out" to simulate the natural
contours of the patient's chest. Thus, the pieces must be carefully
aligned.
There is thus a need for a single chest implant and a method for implanting
the same that can simulate the natural contours of a male chest.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide a pectoral implant for men.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a method for implanting
a pectoral implant in a man.
It is still further an object of this invention to provide a single unitary
piece of implant material that can be implanted in a male chest that
follows the natural contours of the chest.
These and other objects are preferably accomplished by providing a pectoral
implant of a soft silicone material that is contoured to the chest of a
male. The implant is split partway therethrough so that it can be folded
and inserted into a small slit under the armpit of a male and moved into
the chest area to simulate the built-up chest appearance of the male.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a vertical view of a male showing a normal chest with the muscles
exposed;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pectoral implant in accordance with the
teachings of the invention;
FIG. 3 is an illustration of the first step in the method of implanting the
implant of FIG. 2 in the male of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 4 to 7 are successive steps illustrating the implanting of the
implant of FIG. 2;
FIG. 8 is a view taken along lines 8--8 of FIG. 7; and
FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing pectoral implants in dotted
lines as implanted in the male of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawing, a male FIG. 10 is shown having a
chest 11 showing a pectoralis minor muscle layer 12 and an underlying
pectoralis major muscle layer 13. The chest 11 is shown sagging and, in
FIG. 2, a chest implant 14 is shown prior to insertion into the chest 11
of the FIG. 10 shown in FIG. 1. As will be discussed further hereinbelow,
and as seen in dotted lines in FIG. 9, two such implants 14 are shown
implanted into the FIG. 10 in FIG. 9.
Implant 14, FIG. 2, is a unitary piece of a suitable implant material, such
as silicone, having a slightly concave back wall 15, an integral curved
side wall 16, which wall 16 curves around to a rounded first front wall
portion 17, and an integral slightly concave side wall 18 which curves
around to a rounded second front wall portion 19.
As seen in FIG. 2, wall portions 17, 19 intersect at a generally S-shaped
curved line 20 which divides implant 14 into two sections 21, 22 and
creates an inside edge on each section. As seen, line 20 does not extend
to wall 15 and, as seen in FIGS. 3 to 7, allows implant 14 to be split
apart or separated (yet hinged or attached to each other by an integral
section 23--see FIG. 4) for easy insertion into the chest 11 of the FIG.
10, as will be discussed.
As seen in FIG. 8, implant 14 is rounded at walls 16, 18 and slightly
arcuate or curved to conform to the chest cavity 24 in which implant 14 is
inserted.
The installation of implant 14 will now be discussed with particular
reference to FIGS. 3 to 7. The surgeon first makes a small incision in the
armpit of the FIG. 10. As seen in FIG. 4, one of the sections of implant
14, such as section 21, is pulled away from section 22, folded about
itself along its longitudinal axis (the resilient material allowing from
such folding) and inserted through slit 24 in the direction of arrow 25,
the rounded end 19 being inserted first.
As seen in FIG. 5, the surgeon continues to push implant 14 in the
direction of arrow 26 until section 21 is inside the FIG. 10, and moving
in the direction of arrow 27 (section 22 being outside of FIG. 5).
Insertion is continued by folding section 22 along its longitudinal axis
and pushing the same through slit 24 (see FIG. 6), rounded end 17 being
the only part of implant 14 not inside of FIG. 6.
The implant 14 is moved by the surgeon into chest 11 until the implant 14
is in the position shown in FIG. 7 (the right implant being shown--the
left implant being installed in like manner--see FIG. 9).
Thus, as seen in FIGS. 7 and 9, each implant 14 has its back wall 15
generally vertical and the rounded front wall portions 17, 19 extending
outwardly and laterally from walls 15. As seen in FIG. 8, implant 14 is
disposed in a pocket or cavity 24 formed between the muscle layers (outer
skin 28 overlying outer layer 12).
It can be seen that section 23 forms a bend area for implant 14 allowing
the sections 20, 21 to be split apart for insertion. The implant 14 is a
sculptured silicone pad and both left and right implants 14 may be molded
from the same mold. The desired dimensions for each insert is about 15
cms. wide by 17 cms. long by 2 cms. thick. The split line 20 may extend
any suitable distance between parts 21, 22 as long as the implant 14 can
be folded and inserted as heretofore stated.
It can be seen that there is disclosed a pectoral implant and method for
implanting the same. The implant and method results in a natural appearing
pectoral implant simulating the musculature chest of a male.
Top